Lieutenant-Colonel R.F. Shantz
Highland Light Infantry of Canada

There are a lot of jobs in England at the present time that could be done by women … I feel that more girls could have been enlisted a long time ago. If that had been the case, the Canadian army wouldn’t need the reinforcement it does today.

(Quoted in news clipping in HLIC War Diary, Apr 1944)

Born in Preston, Ontario on 24 June 1905, Robert Frederick Shantz was superintendent for the family foundry business and member of the Highland Light Infantry since 1924. He joined as drum major, was commissioned in 1925, promoted to captain in 1932, and promoted to major in 1935. He succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel H.W. Foster to take command of the battalion in February 1943.

Continue reading →